Outdoor pools to remain closed for 2020 season

In the interest of public health and safety, Overland Park’s five outdoor public pools will not open for the 2020 summer season.

The Overland Park City Council voted Monday night to keep Bluejacket, Marty, Stonegate, and Young’s Pools and Tomahawk Ridge Aquatic Center closed.

All five outdoor pools were scheduled to be open Memorial Day weekend through early August.

In accordance with Johnson County’s stay-at-home order and the Johnson County Recovery Plan, City staff have not had the opportunity to hire and train hundreds of lifeguards that typically staff the city’s outdoor pools during the summer. Training and lifeguard duties require close contact, including CPR classes and other first aid efforts. These duties do not allow for physical distancing.

City staff considered an option to open one City pool with limited attendance, allowing for social distancing, gathering size limitations, staff training restrictions, safety equipment and other factors. 

Under the single-pool plan, a maximum of 80 guests would have been able to attend Tomahawk Ridge Aquatic Center for 90 minutes at a time. The pool would have closed for an hour of cleaning before another 90-minute window opened for another group of 80 guests. The pool would have opened July 1, at the earliest.

Outdoor swimming lessons and the 2020 Overland Park Waves season are also canceled for 2020.

The Matt Ross Community Center indoor pool is expected to open later this summer, pending any changes in the Johnson County Recovery Plan.